“KEIR STARMER AIN’T GONNA LIKE THIS ONE” KNEECAP SHAKE WEMBLEY TO ITS CORE

LIVE REVIEW | KNEECAP | OVO ARENA WEMBLEY, LONDON | 19th September 2025 by Miles Humphries

Last week, Belfast trio Kneecap took the stage like a rallying cry, blasting through their set with the same defiant energy that’s made them impossible to ignore. Wembley has seen its fair share of history, but rarely does it feel like the building itself is shaking under the weight of music and message combined.

From the very start, their message was as always sharp, cutting straight to the point every time. “DJ Provai is very excited, he’s at Wembley and he’s pissed!!” they roared, a line that on the surface drew laughter but underneath held weight – this was their night, their stage, and their chance to speak freely and finally unpoliced.

But beneath the humour and hedonism, Kneecap were doing what they do best – giving a voice to the void. A void left by politicians who continue sidestep, stall, and silence. They spoke out where others won’t, dragging politics onto the dance floor and showing that resistance can be as exhilarating as it is urgent. Where politicians duck, Kneecap confront. The waving flags and masked faces weren’t gimmicks, but a declaration. A live rejection of silence and defiance of the sanitised political script. Wembley became a counter-parliament, louder and braver than anything you’ll hear in the Commons.

Their setlist was a weapon in itself too. Tracks like ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘H.O.O.D.’ hit Wembley with the force of slogans, chanted back by thousands as if they were marching songs. They laced the set with humour too, but the backbone remained that of resistance: every song carried the bite of satire but with the weight of current politics. By the time the final song rolled out, the crowd weren’t just dancing, they were rallying.

Their set was proof that it’s never too late to speak out, never too late to demand change, and never too late to turn a gig into a statement. Wembley was their platform, but the message stretched far beyond the stadium walls: music, when unapologetic, can shake power in ways speeches never will.